Blackhall – Page 5 – The NEN – North Edinburgh News

Get shoogling for Bookbug Week!

Bookbug Week is taking place this week (15–21 May), encouraging little ones and their families to dance to their favourite songs and rhymes and then cosy up with a story.

This year’s theme is Bookbug’s Big Shoogle and the week will focus on the benefits of movement and dance for early years development.

Dance and movement are not only fun for little ones, but play an important role in their development. Movement helps young children to build strength and mobility. The tactile elements of many songs and rhymes help them to learn about different parts of their body.

Bookbug is a national programme run by Scottish Book Trust, a charity changing lives with reading and writing. All children in Scotland receive four Bookbug Bags full of books and activities between their birth and first year of school.

Families can also share songs and rhymes in fun Bookbug Sessions in local libraries and community groups and through the Bookbug app. The Scottish Government has been supporting Bookbug since 2010.

This year’s Bookbug Week celebrations will include a partnership with BBC Tiny Happy People, a free-to-use website with fun activity ideas to help support 0–4-year-olds’ speech, language, and communication development.

They will be adding some brilliant activity idea films to the Bookbug app for one week only, which highlight the importance of parents and carers talking to their little ones as early as possible. BBC Tiny Happy People will also be joining Glasgow Life at the Mitchell Library on Wednesday 17 May for a day of Bookbug Sessions and fun activity events for families.

Popular children’s entertainers Sprog Rock will be premiering their brand-new music video, featuring children from Forbes Nursery in Leith, on Tuesday 16 May. Also online, Scottish Book Trust is running a competition to win a special selection of 10 books, a musical instrument kit and a space hopper.

There are Bookbug Sessions taking place across the country, with some local authorities putting on extra activities: Aberdeen libraries will be setting up shaker-making stations, science educators Mini Professors will be running sessions in Fife libraries about sound waves, and little ones in South Ayrshire can practice their fine motor skills through robotics app Osmo in their local libraries.

Children and Young People Minister Natalie Don said: ‘I am very excited for this year’s Bookbug Week and their special Bookbug’s Big Shoogle theme.

“Initiatives like this can help encourage an early love of books among children in addition to providing great opportunities for parents and their wee ones to spend time together whilst having fun and learning.

‘Both reading and being active have multiple benefits for children, including supporting positive mental and physical health, relationships and improved attainment.

‘I’m delighted that the Scottish Government are able to provide increased funding for 2023/24 of £1.8 million for the continuation of the Bookbug programme.’

Marc Lambert, CEO of Scottish Book Trust, said: “We’re excited to share Bookbug’s Big Shoogle with families across Scotland this year, celebrating the benefits of movement and dance.

“Our thanks to Emma Melchor for designing this year’s brilliant Bookbug Week illustration.’

Locally Bookbug sessions are on Tuesday at Granton Library at 11am or Pilton Neighbourhood Centre at 10.30, and on Friday at Granton Library at 11am or Muirhouse Millenium Centre at 10.30 am!

Check out the libraries facebook pages for more details.

Bookbug Week at Blackhall Library

In celebration of Bookbug Week BLACKHALL LIBRARY will be running three additional Bookbug sessions next week! These will be followed by snacks and Bookbug materials give away.

As the Bookbug theme for this year will be Bookbug’s Big Shoogle! we warmly encourage kids and adults to dress up in your tutu’s or whatever you like to dance in!

All week we will also have a Big Bookbug Chase scavenger hunt with prizes to be won!

Wed 17th May 10:30-11:30

Thurs 18th May 10:30-11:30

Fri 19th May 10:30-11:30

Christine Jardine joins Strachan House for Big Coronation Picnic

Local care home Strachan House has had a week full of royal themed activities but the fun didn’t stop there. They hosted The Big Coronation Picnic event yesterday (Sunday 7^th May) for their residents, family friends and their entire local community.

In attendance was local MP Christine Jardine who kindly accepted her invitation to unveil a rose bush in memory of the late Queen Elizabeth ll after her son King Charles lll take the royal crown on Saturday 6^th May.

Christine Jardine spent the afternoon chatting with everyone who attended the event. Enjoying everything Strachan House had to offer Christine explained “It has been a lovely afternoon I’ve thoroughly enjoyed my visit. Chatting with the residents and staff has been lovely. Such a wonderful home and the amount of support was outstanding.”

Mandy, Head of Activities, said: “Our residents have had a fantastic week on the run up but this event demonstrated that community spirit is very much alive and judging by all who attended it was prevalent that Strachan House is a very special place in our community.

“It has been a whole home approach to ensure our residents had a fantastic coronation. Having our local MP Christine Jardine accept our invitation was a testament to how valued we are within our community.”

Paul Dow, Head Chef at Strachan House, said: “It was an amazing day and an honour to cater for our local community and an absolute pleasure to showcase what we have to offer here at Strachan House.

“It’s certainly an event I won’t forget in a hurry!”

Gordon Philp, General Manager at Strachan House said: “We have been overwhelmed with the support and community spirit throughout our celebrations of the Kings Coronation, it has been such a special occasion for everyone not to mention our residents.

Our staff have gone over and above to ensure Strachan House and everyone who lives and works here have had a spectacular day. To have so much continued local community support truly humbling.”

Bernard Saltmarsh, resident at Strachan House added: “it was an honour to meet Christine and have my picture taken with her.

“We even had the sun come out for the afternoon which was a big relief to what the morning was like!”

Our varied life enrichment programme keeps residents active, and provides a daily choice of engaging physical, mental and spiritual activities tailored to residents’ interests and abilities.

Strachan House is run by Barchester Healthcare, one of the UK’s largest care providers, which is committed to delivering high-quality care across its care homes and hospitals. Strachan House provides nursing care, residential care, respite care.

Coronation celebrations fit for a King at Strachan House

The excitement was is in the air at Strachan House Care Home in Edinburgh this week as residents and staff notch it up a gear to celebrate the coronation of our king in a right royal way.

Throughout the week on the lead up to the big day, Strachan House has a week full of royal themed activities from baking up red, white and blue cakes to intergenerational fun within their local community with Cargilfield Nursery and Blackhall Primary.

“The week will certainly be one we remember” said Mandy, Head of Activities.

Paul Dow chef at Strachan House said: “Baking up an array of cuisine will be great fun and certainly ensure it will be fit for a king! It has been a whole team effort ensuring we are ready for the King’s Coronation on May 6”.

Staff and residents at the home put their heads together and came up with a week-long plan of royal activities for their residents. Over the bank holiday weekend the home will hold afternoon tea whilst screening the Coronation live.

On Sunday 7^th May at 2pm they are hosting The Big Picnic in their wonderful gardens and will play host to the entire Blackhall community as they open their home to friend’s family and staff.

With live music from Diane Fields a BGT contestant as well as the local councillor, Christine Jardine, it is set to be an outstanding day for everyone who plans to attend.

Armed with picnic baskets and rugs resident, families, staff and local visitors are invited to join us for an afternoon sharing in the wonderful atmosphere.

All you need to do is bring your picnic and a rug and enjoy a afternoon amongst friends.

Gordon Philp, General Manager at Strachan House said: “We are looking forward to a brilliant time celebrating the Coronation, it is such a momentous occasion. Our staff and residents love the Royals and so they are all so excited about the upcoming week.

“It has been a real collaborative process – thinking about how we want to celebrate, from planning our activities, decorating the home and creating an event for our whole community to join in”.

David Lesueur, resident at Strachan House said: “I can just about remember the Queen’s Coronation, I was very small but I remember the street party we had then and this will be just as much fun.

“We all want to pay our respects to the new King and create new memories, it is such an important occasion to mark.”

Our varied life enrichment programme keeps residents active, and provides a daily choice of engaging physical, mental and spiritual activities tailored to residents’ interests and abilities.

Local care home resident relives her night ‘on the toon’!

Audrey Ross move to Strachan House just over a year ago. Being a primary school teacher in Aberdeen for many years she loved nothing more than meeting up with her girlfriends on a Friday night for a good catch up in her younger days.

She often talks about her nights just sitting, sharing her laughs of the weeks gone by with her friends and reminiscing over their life adventures together. It was clear that she held very fond memories of her younger days and missed those days so much. Through reminscence and one to one sessions she could be often heard explaining about “how friendships are important and must be nurtured and never taken for granted or forgotten “.

So with a combination of what was important to Audrey and of course her love of curries the team jumped into action and recreated a special moment for her with their Gone Fishing 23 project.

Audrey was joined by another resident that she really enjoys spending time with in the home and the surprise on both their faces when Audrey realised she was in for the night of her life.

The team did some community engagement with a local business in Blackhall called The Cove.

Local Indian restauranteur Jahedd upon hearing her story was quick to jump on board and support the team in making Audrey enjoy a stroll back down memory lane. Jahedd was able to give Audrey and her friend an evening to remember by offering them the VIP experience in his beautiful establishment.

Audrey and her friend Isobel were whisked away to The Cove where they enjoyed a fine selection of Indian cuisine along with an evening fondly sharing their life stories and adventures together.

Mandy Head of Activities said: “It was an amazing night for Audrey. She was in disbelief of what we had organised not to mention surprised. Our Gone Fishing 23 project is partly about the element of surprise but more importantly it’s about recognising our residents as individuals, along with their desires and more importantly recognising what’s important to them. ”

“The local community support has been amazing and it is humbling to see how much attention our project has received. We can’t thank The Cove enough for the amazing night they gave Audrey and her friend.”

In response to this wonderful surprise, Audrey said: “I was astounded. It was so amazing to see how others picked up on what was important to me and for them to go out of their way to make me feel so special.

“It truly was like a good old Friday night just as I remember them and they even got my favourite cuisine right. Ten out of ten!”

Gordon Philp, General Manager at the home, said: “We want everyone we care for to know how important they are to us here at Strachan House It was so nice to see how happy Audrey was – our staff love making moments like this happen in our project”

Strachan House care home is run by Barchester Healthcare, one of the UK’s largest care providers, which is committed to delivering personalised care across its care homes and hospitals. Strachan House provides residential care, nursing care and dementia care for 83 residents from respite care to long term stays.

Spreading Positivi-tea! Care home hosts Tea Dance on National Tea Day

Strachan House care home in Blackall celebrated in style, by brewing up a wonderful afternoon for National Tea Day yesterday with a Community Tea Dance afternoon.

Supplied with a tasty selection of biscuits, sandwiches, cakes, and of course, teas for the event, residents and their families of Strachan House had an amazing afternoon together.

Gordon Philp, General Manager at Strachan House said: “In these unprecedented times with the cost of living, providing a range of community events for our local community and their families is more important than ever.

“Our residents really enjoyed the choice of teas, cakes and events for National Tea Day, and as a nation who truly loves their tea, it was great excuse for an afternoon brew and a natter”.

May Lesueur, a wife of a resident at Strachan House said: “It was a lovely afternoon, and I love a cup of tea so it was a wonderful combination to end the week on.

“And it was lovely for the families and staff join in too. They always take such good care of us.”

AND THEY’RE OFF! Strachan House sprinters are jumping for joy

Residents and staff at Strachan House care home in Edinburgh enjoyed celebrating the Grand National last week when the released their own Strachan House sprinters, which joined in a fitness session on Friday 14^th April.

Sadly despite our residents putting them through their paces our horses never made it to the big one on Saturday!

Residents and staff got together to watch the races, and celebrated in style by having an afternoon of fitness and music which entailed not only two race horses joining us but a good old friend Mr T Rex. Mr T Rex is also a firm favourite with the residents and has made a few guest appearances in the past. As always it was hilarity from start to finish.

Mandy Head of Activities said “we are always finding different fun ways to keep our residents active and engaged and this was certainly a fun way to end the week. Everyone wanted a sneaky dance with Mr Rex not to mention the fun exercise session that our horses demonstrated.

!Sometimes you just have to have some out right fun and laughter and this afternoon certainly had everyone jumping for joy!”

Gordon Philp, General Manager at the home, said: “We’ve had a fantastic time celebrating Aintree’s Ladies Day, it is such a great session and we all had fun cheering on the horses and jockeys as they joined in the getting fit with the residents – although that Mr Rex was eyeing up one of horses as a tasty snack!”

Moira Ingram, a resident at the home, commented: “I love the staff when they dress up, it is such a fantastic spectacle and I’m sure the laughter could been heard in the streets.

“I haven’t got a clue about horse racing, but it certainly was comical to watch!”

The varied life enrichment programme at Strachan House keeps residents active and provides a daily choice of engaging physical, mental and spiritual activities tailored to residents’ interests and abilities.

Coronation celebrations fit for a King!

BIG CORONATION PICNIC at STRACHAN HOUSE

Excitement is in the air at Strachan House in Blackhall where residents and staff will be busy making Coronation-themed decorations and baking up a storm of red, white and blue cakes and pastries by head chef Paul Dow in preparation for the King’s Coronation on May 6^th 2023.

Staff and residents at the home have put their heads together and came up with a plan to host a celebration fit for a King. Over the bank holiday weekend the home will hold The Big Coronation Picnic on the 7^th May from 2pm-4pm. The whole home will come together to host their event to the local community to celebrate with friends, family and local business’s the Coronation of our new King.

The event will see Diane Fields a Britain’s Got Talent contestant entertain us with live music within our wonderful kept garden grounds as well as a visit from local MP Christine Jardine who will be unveiling a Queen Elizabeth ll rose bush to commemorate her late reign HRH on her own sons coronation.

Everyone in the local community is given an open invitation to come along and join us for what is set to be an amazing afternoon. All you need to do is bring along your picnic and a rug and enjoy an afternoon with friends.

Beverages such as tea, coffee, wine and a selection soft drinks will be made available courtesy of Strachan House on the day.

Gordon Philp General Manager at Strachan House said “we are all looking forward to a celebrating the Coronation, it will be such a momentous occasion. Our staff and residents love the Royals and so they were all so excited to host this event.

“It has been a real collaborative process – thinking about how we want to celebrate, planning our activities, decorating the home and creating an event that we can give back to the community. It’s so lovely to be able to invite our friends and family to come and join us for a proper celebration too.”

Our varied life enrichment programme keeps residents active, and provides a daily choice of engaging physical, mental and spiritual activities tailored to residents’ interests and abilities.

Bill’s Patch: Care home resident gets his own piece of happiness

Strachan House Care Home resident, Bill Lathe had dreamed of being able to garden again so staffed teamed up with a local boy Struan Dow who helped Bill out with his wish to make it come true.

Bill has lived at Strachan House for several years and is oved by staff and residents alike. Staff and Struan were delighted to be a part of making his dream come true, as they knew how much it meant to him and they all wanted to be there to see the smile on Bills face.

Staff first found out about Bills wish through their active activities program. Mandy, Head of Activities, said “Bill has always had a love of gardening and when we were a contacted about a local boy Struan needing to complete his JASS project it made sense to pair the two up by surprising Bill.”

JASS is the junior programme for the Duke of Edinburgh awards and Struan needed to undertake his silver award. This meant he was tasked with having to complete a 12 hour project. A student in class 6HD at Erskine Stewart Melville School, meant that Struan gave up his Easter break to work on the project.

He said: “When I heard of Bill’s wish I knew I could combine my project with his wish, so I decided to spring into action and build Bill an accessible herb garden box and present it to him within the gardens at Strachan House.

“I was so happy to see Bill’s face and was so happy to be part of something special for him. To know that my herb box will be appreciated and go to good use is awesome!”

Mandy Head of Activities added “What and amazing young lad Struan is and he should be proud of his hard work. Bill is over the moon!”

In response to this wonderful surprise, Bill said: “I was overwhelmed. It is such an amazing feeling to know that the youngsters still look out for us and care so much.

“I’m really grateful to Struan and the team for making my wish come true. I can’t wait to get planting my herbs for the use in the kitchen”

Gordon Philp, General Manager at the home, said: “We want everyone we care for to know how important they are to us here at Strachan House. It was so nice to see how happy Bill was and the staff loved being a part of this as well.”

Strachan House care home is run by Barchester Healthcare, one of the UK’s largest care providers, which is committed to delivering personalised care across its care homes and hospitals.

Strachan House provides residential care, nursing care and dementia care for 83 residents from respite care to long term stays.

Residents celebrate Easter in style

Staff and residents at Barchester’s Strachan House care home in Blackhall celebrated Easter with a whole host of different activities including an Easter Egg Hunt, hatching duck eggs, afternoon Easter tea for the residents and local community and Easter baking sessions.

Good Friday saw residents at Strachan House enjoy an eggs-tensive range of Easter activities, from an Easter Bonnet parade, egg painting and rolling, to enjoying live entertainment.

Easter Sunday saw residents also tuck in to a delicious tradional Easter lunch prepared by the home’s head chef Paul Gow after hosting a wonderful Easter egg hunt in the beautiful gardens of Strachan House. And if there was any more room from all that chocolate then there was an afternoon tea to relax with amongst family and friends!

General Manager Gordon Philp said “As always, we’ve all been looking forward to Easter. It’s such a lovely time of year – the residents love all the colourful Easter eggs and huge selection of Easter themed activities we had on offer.

“It’s really been an eggs-cellent few days!”

Muriel who is 102 years old and a resident at Strachan House said: “It has been so lovely to spend time with our families and friends this Easter, though like every Easter, I think I’ve eaten too much chocolate!

” It was so wonderful to see everyone go to so much effort. I have really enjoyed having the ducks hatch and spending time playing with them”

Our varied life enrichment programme keeps residents active, and provides a daily choice of engaging physical, mental and spiritual activities tailored to residents’ interests and abilities.